Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Uberness: @Uber_DC Needs YOU!

January 11, 2012

Posted by Rachel

This morning we were surprised by tweets from @DCTaxiWatch that Ron Linton, Chairman of the District of Columbia Taxicab Commission, stated publicly at a Taxi Hearing that “Uber DC is operating illegally” without providing detailed context as to how.We launched in Washington last month confident that we are compliant with the rules and regulations with the District. Prior to launching we had conversations with representatives of the taxi commission that helped us understand the regulatory landscape and convinced us that the Uber transportation alternative was legal in the city of Washington, DC.We have reached out to Commissioner Ron Linton and the Commission, so that Uber can understand the concern that Linton voiced at the Taxi Commission hearings this morning. Uber is committed to remaining a useful transportation option for DC residents and we look forward to hearing out and addressing any concerns from the Commissioner.It should be noted that before taking on the launch of any Uber city we have a responsibility to understand the regulations of the transportation environment of that city. We take that responsibility very seriously. We also know based on the feedback from you, our passionate Uber Faithful, that the service is in fact working… it’smakingyourlivesbetter.15 months ago we saw a similar event in SF (link to response). We’re still operating legally in SF today, in large part because of your support.

Uber is a first to market, cutting edge transportation technology and it must be recognized that the regulations from both city and state regulatory bodies have not been written with these innovations in mind. As such, we are happy to help inform the regulatory bodies on this new generation of technology and work closely with both agencies to ensure compliance and keep our service available for our truly Uber users and their drivers.

We need the people of DC who’ve been a part of Uber’s launch in the district to let your voices be heard. This means riders, drivers, limo companies, and all around Uber fans. Cities deserve to have quality transportation alternatives. We need your tweets, FB posts, blog posts and videos to show your support and so that we can put on display the positive impact we’re working to make in DC.

Please send your tweets, blog posts and videos to @Uber_DC using the #UberDCLove hashtag and any media inquiries to press@uber.com.Rachel Holt
General Manager, Uber DC